


Covetous

by SongsOfTricksAndThunder



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Inspired by Game of Thrones, King Thor, Loki and Sif are siblings in this, Loki and Thor Are Not Related, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Queen Sif, Slow Burn, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 01:08:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16107611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongsOfTricksAndThunder/pseuds/SongsOfTricksAndThunder
Summary: “You can only be jealous of someone who has something you think you ought to have yourself.”-Margaret Atwood





	1. Chapter 1

Out of all the kingdoms in the realm, Jotunheim just had to be the coldest. Loki has spent his entire life in the cold, but there are times when he still isn’t used to it. The seasons are so queer. Here Winer is constant, merciless on the ill-prepared, yet it’s warm and sunny elsewhere. All except Helheim.

The kingdom of Helheim was thrust into eternal darkness thousands of years ago. Neither the sun nor the moon has ever shed light on Helheim, and spirits haunt the land. Loki remembers his father and brothers telling him the stories about, how no one dares to travel to it, and nothing but darkness exists in the fallen kingdom.

Muspelheim on the other hand, makes this frozen wasteland seem like a paradise. They don’t call it the Land of the Sun for nothing. Loki was ten when they first went there, and they almost died from the heat. Even with the summer clothes they arrived in, not even peeling your own flesh off can relieve you from such a place.

As they left, his father chuckled and said “Polar Bears weren’t meant to roam the desert.” And they never returned. That was one of the few times Loki ever saw his father smile or laugh. Laufey was well known for his icy demeanor.

 

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Sleep for Loki tonight will be impossible. Tonight was a particularly cold one, and no matter how many times he tosses and turns under his furs, he’s still cold. Groaning, he kicks at his featherbed like a child throwing a tantrum and sits up.

He throws the furs off of him when he suddenly feels hot, and the cold hits him like a knight unhorsed in a joust. With a sigh he falls back onto the furs, a rubs his face with both hands. Why couldn’t their castle be built over hot springs? Loki could imagine it. Warmth running through the stone walls like the blood in his veins, the cold world forgotten as soon as you step through the doors.

Wrapping a single layer of fur around himself, the young lord padded to the fireplace and knelt before the hearth. He set a few logs down and lit it before standing. Loki dragged a chair over beside it, wrapped the fur tighter around himself, and sat down. He sat there for awhile staring off, until he finally fell asleep.

 

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Loki woke with a kink in his neck and groaned. He rubbed at the sore muscles but it seems he may have to visit Maester Grundroth later. When there was a knock at his door, the young lord said “Enter.” And a servant stepped in.

“Good morning, my lord. Your mother sent me to be sure you were awake. A-And that you come down to break your fast.”

“Thank you.” Loki told her. “And tell her I will be down shortly.” And the girl nodded before closing the door behind her. Getting up from the chair, the young lord kept rubbing his sore neck while he dressed.

One thing his brothers like to do is tease him about is how he looks. Unlike his brothers, Loki actually cares about his appearance. Instead of sharing his brothers’ barbarian-like way of dressing and grooming, Loki could easily fit into the king’s court. They’d say that he looks pretty, that he should be in dresses, but he brushes it all off.

The young lord knows he’s more feminine than most young men his age. It’s known that he takes after his mother. Loki and Sif were blessed with their mother’s beauty, her dark hair, her eyes, her delicate features.

Sif has their mothers hazel eyes, but Loki’s turned out emerald green. No one knows how, but every time he would look at his eyes, he could hear his mother calling him _my emerald boy_. He’s much leaner than his brothers too. While they are large with warriors bodies, Loki is long and slender like a woman. They’re right, he is pretty. But he is far more than just a pretty face.

 

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When he walked into the dining hall, he saw Sif and his brothers at the table. He sat next to Sif and Helblindi smiled. “Good morning, brother! It’s so nice of you to join us. And might I add, you are looking especially lovely today.”

Loki rolled his eyes but said “Thank you, brother.” Before turning to the servant who came up to him with a plate. He thanked her before taking it from her and started cutting at his food with his fork and knife.

When Loki looked up from his plate, he watched as his brothers tore into their food with bare hands. He and Sif exchanges disgusted looks before Sif said “Seven hell’s boys, show some manners with your food!”

Byleistr swallowed and smiled at her, saying “This is how a man eats, sweet sister.”

“Well you are not animals, now eat properly before Mother catches you. She’ll have Septa Topaz whack you with a wooden spoon again.”

The boys laughed and sighed before wiping their hands clean. They grabbed their utensils and started cutting at their food like them and Helblindi asked “Does this way please you two?”

They nodded and Sif smiled. “Yes, that’s much better.” She said before going back to eating.

The table fell into silence until Helblindi said “I hear the new king is coming down to Jotunheim.”

Sif perked up as soon as she heard _king_ and asked “The king? The king is...He’s...Wh-Why would he come here?”

Helblindi frowned and said “Oh I don’t know, maybe it has to do with Jotunheim and Asgard being at each other’s throats for decades. The old king is dead, his son sits on the throne now. Maybe he’s coming down to put an end to it.”

 

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Everyone knows the stories of the feud between Asgard and Jotunheim. Long ago, war broke out between the two kingdoms, King Bor against Loki’s grandfather Ymir. It was a long and exhausting battle and eventually, the two just gave up. They sat down together and hours later a treaty was made, but the tension between the two remained until their deaths. Bor’s son Odin then took the throne, and now Odin’s son Thor.

The young lord has heard a few things about the new king. He’s a handsome, friendly man, a good warrior too, but naïve. Why come down to this kingdom of ice to settle some tension? The treaty has yet to be broken. There’s been no wars, no squabbles, nothing that should bring this new king down here. But whatever the reason, he knows Sif is definitely excited about it.

 

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A message came by raven and confirmed the rumors. The royal party will be traveling by the Kingsroad, and should be here within a fortnight. While everyone scrambled to get everything ready, Loki was calm. He had no reason to be panicking, the young lord continued his days as usual.

One morning he watched with Sif as their brothers sparred in the courtyard. Though Loki would rather read or do his lessons than sparring, if his brothers have to do it, then so does he. They train with Hailstrum, Jotunheims Master-At-Arms, but Loki doesn’t like training with his brothers.

His father agreed to let Loki train with the older man separately, and Hailstrum can agree that Loki is a fast learner. _“You’ll be better than your brothers one day if you keep at it, boy.”_

Loki’s come to love sparring, but it was even better to watch his idiot brothers whacking each other with the sparring swords. After some time, Helblindi spotted him and smiled. “Loki! Come and join us!” But Loki shook his head.

“Don’t worry little brother, we won’t hurt you...Much!” And the younger man shook his head again. Helblindi rolled his eyes and marched up to him and before he could back away, a large hand grabbed him by his arm. Despite his protests Loki was dragged over to them and Byleistr tossed him his sword. “Go on, Let’s see what you’ve got!” And Loki sighed.

“Fine.” He said Before readying himself. He could never understand how he could be related to these two. They may have the bodies of warriors but they have the minds of toddlers. Helblindi smirked and spun the wood a few times before getting into his signature ready pose.

The older man came at him, aiming for Loki’s stomach and Loki didn’t move to counter the strike. He did step out of the way and when Helblindi flew past, the younger man kicked his stumbling feet out from under him. Everyone watched as the larger man landed face down on the ground and rolled onto his back. Helblindi groaned and sat up before glaring at Loki.

His grip on the wood tightened as he stood up and said “You little-“ but Loki cut him off by whacking him in the face with his sword. The older man cried out and dropped his sword, both hands coming up to cover his face. When he pulled his hands away, blood was trickling down his nose.

Loki stood still and watched as the older man bent down to pick his sword up again, keeping his eyes fixed on his little brother. He pointed the wood at him and said “You’ll pay for that.” And Loki held his arms out.

“I’m right here, brother.”

Helblindi came at him again and now their swords collided. Loki knew his strength wouldn’t be able to hold against his brothers for very long, so he had to act quickly. His muscles strained to keep the angry man back so he , twice, and his brother fell to his knees.

Loki pointed the end of his sword under the older man’s chin and used it to tilt his head up. Victorious, Loki smiled and said “You lose, brother.”

Helblindi was stunned. After a moment of silence, Loki chuckled. “Don’t worry, Helblindi. Maybe next time will be different.” He tossed his sword to the side and Helblindi dropped his before standing up and storming off. Byleistr followed behind him laughing, and Sif struggled to contain her laughter.

When he reached Sif, she smiled and shook her head. “He just might kill you for that, Loki.”

Loki smiled and said “He can try. But for now he’ll go drown his sorrows with ale and whores.” He looked over her shoulder and saw father standing there. He stood with Hailstrum and Maester Grundroth. How long have they been standing there?

There wasn’t even the smallest hint of a smile on his father’s face but the older man gave Loki brief nod before walking off.

  
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The day came when the king and his party would arrive and Jotunheim was buzzing with excitement. Dressed in clothes that were more Loki’s style, Loki was stunned to see his brothers in such finery. He could hardly recognize them. Sif looked beautiful as always. Dressed in her best dress, hair done in an intricate Southwestern style, she would surely shine.

His brothers of course teased him for the braid he chose. The top of his long black hair was pulled back and tied, one large braid going down the center with two smaller braids. The smaller braids were braided over his gathered hair and they were all tied together. They always threatened to cut their hair short like theirs, but Loki threatened to stab them if they tried. Instead, they just laughed about it and left him alone, and would laugh anytime their little brother does anything with his hair. It’s not like he’s the first man to do it.

Farbauti came and stood by her husband’s side and smiled. “His Grace and his party are coming down the road.” Before turning to her children. She pointed at them in warning and said “You. All of you. _Behave!_ ” And they nodded.

The king wasn’t at the lead when the party rode through the gates. Bannermen came first, dressed in red and gold and holding up red and gold banners with silver lightening bolts in the center of them. _The colors of the king’s house_ , Loki remembered. And their motto: _A Storm Is Coming._

Knights in gold and silver armor rode in behind them while the bannermen dismounted their horses. They formed neat lines alongside the gate as the rest of them came in and as soon as the king came into view, everyone kneeled and bowed their heads.

The king dismounted his horse before anyone could help him and as soon as his feet touched the earth, he walked over to Laufey and stood before him. He gestured them to stand and when they did, the king smiled. “Hello Lord Ymirson. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Laufey nodded and said “Same to you, Your Grace. My condolences for your father. He was a good man.”

The younger man nodded and said “Thank you.” Before clapping him on the shoulder. Loki was shocked at how big he was, and his clothes looked like they were painted onto him, perfectly tailored to his large body. Under the thick black bear cloak that warmed him, he wore red boiled leathers and a silver lightning bolt pin was pinned at the chest.

Some of his golden hair was pulled back at the top, but the rest flowed down to his shoulders. Loki saw a small braid, and it made him think about his brother’s teasing him. He imagined them teasing the king and being punished for it and it made him smile. He could almost see Thor’s eyes from where he stood. A sharp, icy blue that reminded Loki of the walls of ice that ran throughout Jotunheim outside the castle walls. They were right about him being handsome, but handsome doesn’t seem to be the right word.

Thor then turned to Farbauti, and she offered her hand. He took it and kissed her knuckles. “Lady Ymirson.”

“Your Grace. Welcome. You must be exhausted from your journey.”

Thor smiled and next to Loki, Sif struggled to contain her excitement, but grinned like an idiot. Loki let out a sigh and shook his head.

The king chuckled and said “I can rest later, My Lady.” And Farbauti nodded. Moving down the line, Thor gave Helblindi and Byleistr once overs, and nodded. “You will be fine warriors...Not sure about those clothes, I’m afraid.” And Loki snorted. He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth just as eyes turned to him, and he quickly played it off by clearing his throat.

Sif smacked him in the side with her hand and he frowned at her before they brought their attention back to the king. The older man moved onto Sif and smiled. He gave her a once over as well and she offered her hand. He quickly grabbed it and kissed it. “My Lady. You are beautiful like your mother.”

Sif smiled and said “Thank you, Your Grace.” And lastly, was Loki.

The king did a double take when he looked at the young lord. Unlike the others, Thor didn’t give him a once over, those eyes never left his face. “What is your name?”

“Loki, Your Grace.”

The older man stared at him for a moment and nodded before walking back to his mother and father. What just happened?

 

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Loki sat at the end of the table with his mother during the feast. He almost sat by Sif but realized if he did, he would have to watch and listen to her make a fool of herself in front of the king. Every so often he would look over and see her gushing over him, and the king would just eat it up. No man could resist a pretty girl.

She hung onto every word he said, giggled, and it got to the point to where Loki couldn’t eat anymore. He stood and said “I’m going back to my room.”

Mother looked up and asked “Are you sure? Is everything alright, Loki?”

He nodded and said “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just tired.” He kissed her forehead and when he looked up, everyone else at the table was looking at him too. Loki looked at Thor and said “It was a pleasure to dine with you, Your Grace. Forgive me, but I must retire for the night.”

The older man nodded and smiled. “Of course. It was a pleasure to meet you, Loki. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

 

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When Loki got back to his room, he lit a fire and pulled off his cloak. Laying it over the back of his chair, the young lord sat down and pulled his boots off. His mind drifted to the king and his gushing sister while he unfastened his green and gold doublet, the cold air hitting him when he was left in his white undershirt.

The young lord sighed and fell onto his back, his long, pale fingers combing through the furs beneath him. He drank in every detail of the beams above him until he closed his eyes. He knows that before the night is over, Sif will surely be engaged to the king.

 

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When Loki came down to break his fast, he was partially right. As soon as he got to the table, Sif stood up, a radiant smile on her face. “Good morning, Loki.”

Loki yawned and said “Good morning. What are you so happy about?”

Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. “Are you serious?” she asked before rolling her eyes. She came up to him and said “His Grace told me that he will sit and talk with Father today. He will convince him to let me go to Asgard with him so we can marry, and of course Father will say yes. I will be the queen...Can you imagine it?”

He could only see the wedding, but seeing his little sister as a queen, _the_ queen, that was different. When a servant approached them with two plates, he turned to her and asked “Is there water on the table for me?”

The servant nodded and said “Yes, my lord.”

Loki nodded and said “Good. Could you bring me some wine as well? I’m going to need it.”

She nodded again and said “Right away, my lord.” Before going off.

Without looking at her, Loki walked up to the table and sat down. When he finally looked up at her, she was glaring at him, hands on her hips. “What, you think I couldn’t do it?”

Loki shrugged and grabbed his goblet of water. He said “I never said you couldn’t, sweet sister.” Before taking a drink. After swallowing, he set it back down and said “But I will tell you it will be far from easy. There’s a lot of responsibility in being the queen. You can’t just sit there and look pretty, the realm will depend on you, just as they depend on their king. There will be times where you will have to make some hard decisions. You have to be strong.”

“And I will be. I can handle it.”

Loki thanked the servant when she returned with his wine and took a sip. He quickly wiped at some that slipped from the corner of his mouth before setting the goblet next to his water. Loki swallowed the liquid and said “Then comes the matter of producing heirs. I may not be a woman but I know it will be hard on your body, especially since you will be having more than one. And being a mother won’t be easy either, children can be quite difficult.”

Sif continued to glare at him for a moment before she shook her head. “I don’t know why I bothered to tell you, I knew you wouldn’t believe in me.” She turned to walk away but stopped. After a moment Loki went to stand up when she turned and faced him again. “Mother told me the same things, you know. She told me before the feast yesterday.

Well no matter what you or anyone else says about me, I will prove them wrong. I will be the queen and I will make sure that I am remembered as the greatest queen that ever lived!” Without another word she turned and stormed off and Loki sighed before taking another sip of wine.

 

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Loki spent most of the day alone in the room, reading. When he couldn’t read anymore, he closed the book and grabbed his cloak before walking out. He walked until he reached the center of the empty courtyard and stopped.

Snow covered most of the stone ground and more will join it, eventually. Flurries fell onto Loki’s head and cloak, and when he looked up, more fell onto his face. The young lord stared up at the sky until a deep voice pulled him back.

“Will more be coming?” Loki looked over and found the king leaning up against a pillar, smiling at him. The older man looked up to the sky and said “You look to the sky as if you know.“

Loki shook his head and his eyes landed to the king’s feet. “I don’t, Your Grace...My sister tells me you wish to marry her.”

The older man nodded and stepped away from the pillar, coming to stand beside him. He fixed his eyes back up to the sky and said “And I will. I know our kingdoms have fought and there’s still tension between us, even with a treaty. But I hope this will put an end to it all for good. And Sif is a lovely and spirited girl. I believe she will make a fine queen.”

Loki stared at him for a moment before looking away. “She is angry with me.” Thor looked at him and the young lord kept his gaze ahead. “This morning I told her it’s a big responsibility to be a queen...She thinks I don’t believe in her.”

“Well, what do you think?”

The younger man spared a glance at the king before saying “I never thought of her being a queen until you came. I thought she would just marry a lord and have little lords and ladies...I’m not even certain about my own future, but that doesn’t matter.”

He expected that to be the end of it, but the king said “It does matter. Because you are coming with us.”

Loki faces him properly and asked “Coming with you?”

The older man smiled and said “Yes. When I went to speak with your father, your mother joined us. She suggested you come with us, said it would be good for you to learn the ways of the court. Word is you are very bright and with time, you could earn your own place in the small council...But I’m sure you will exceed all expectations.”

Loki was stunned. He spent years wondering what would become of him, but never this. He opened his mouth but he couldn’t make any words come out. The king was kind enough to let him pull himself together before he asked “Your Grace, I...Forgive me, this is so unexpected.”

The king chuckled, his face breaking into a dazzling smile that reached all the way to his eyes, and he nodded. “I know it is. We leave for Asgard in a weeks time, so you don’t have to give me your answer right away.” And Loki was thankful for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fear not! This is far from the end ;-p.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had originally planned to wait until the whole story was done before posting but while trying to save some changes to the draft, I accidentally posted it...But no worries, I’ll just keep going and give you new chapters often, so enjoy this new chapter :-).

The day of departure drew near and Loki knew he needed to give his answer now. Today was warmer than the last, but not by much. At least the snow has melted. Dead leaves, twigs, and frozen graze crunched under the young his boots as he walked through, his cloak dragging behind him. Loki knew it would rain soon.

The Godswood was filled with the sounds of birds chirping back and forth to each other. Loki recognized one of them as a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, but he couldn’t decipher the other...A Belted Kingfisher perhaps?

Loki was pulled away from his thoughts when he stumbled upon a man kneeling before the Heart tree, head down in prayer. He started to back away when the man turned and looked at him. The young lord looked down when he realized it was the king. “Forgive me, Your Grace, I have interrupted your prayers...I will leave you be-“

“No.”

Loki stopped and watched as the king got onto one knee, using a large hand to support himself before he stood. He turned and smiled at the younger man. “There is nothing to forgive, my lord. My prayers are finished.”

The king was dressed in black boiled leathers and a light brown cloak this time, the lightening bolt pin nowhere to be found. His golden hair was pulled into a low ponytail, loose strands framing his face and he looked handsome despite the fact he that he also looked tired.

The younger man nodded and asked “What did you pray for?”

“Safe passage for when we head North. Safety for my lady, for you, and that your family will be well. And that Jotunheim will continue to prosper.”

Loki smiled a little and said “That’s very kind of you, Your Grace. Thank you.”

Thor nodded and said “Of course.”

It had been awhile since Loki was last in the Godswood. Loki usually says his prayers in his room, he comes here often when he wants peace. Or when he’s deep in thought. Without looking at him, Loki said “I will come with you to Asgard.” He could feel the older man’s eyes on him, but Loki kept his eyes fixed on the trees.

 

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The night before they were to leave, they had another feast to say goodbye to the future queen. The dining hall was so noisy, you would have to scream just to be heard. His father’s men and the kings men laughed and filled their bellies with food and the best wine Jotunheim could offer. Though no wine beats Asgardian wine, supposedly. Loki will surely find out for himself.

Loki looked over at Thor and saw him talking to Laufey while Sif, who sat beside him, was speaking to a friend of hers. The young lord nursed his wine, hoping it would ease his nerves, but it couldn’t. He has no idea what awaits him in the North, but he told the king he will go and he will go.

 

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_Loki dreamed of the journey on the Kingsroad, and it was so vivid. He felt the heat of the sun on his skin, heard the birds chirping and the clip-clopping of the horse’s hooves as they moved. The young lord looked to the cloudless blue sky and was totally at peace._

_Suddenly Loki was standing at the edge of a cliff. He looked around but saw no one. The king, his sister, everyone was gone. He tried to call out for them, but no sound would come out no matter how hard he tried. The young lord became so lost while looking down at the two hundred foot drop, he failed to realize that he had been crying._

_It was a beautiful sight though. The sun was setting; the sky painted pink and orange with specks of blue. He heard the waves crashing along the rocks below and the breeze blew through his hair and through the mid-thigh length grass. The young lords tears stopped, and he suddenly became very relaxed. He stood there for what felt like a lifetime until the breeze stopped, and that’s when he stepped off of the edge._

 

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With a gasp Loki’s eyes opened, and he sat up in his bed covered in sweat. Panting, he threw the furs off of himself and stared at the floor. How could he dream such a thing? He’s had dreams where he would fall but wake up before he hit the ground, but this was different.

He thought about going to his mother. Every time he had bad dreams, he would go to her, lie his head in her lap while she ran her fingers through his hair. She would do this and hum the same song until he would fall asleep, feeling safe again. But he didn’t want to worry her, not before they have to leave. Instead he lit a lantern and got dressed before heading to the Godswood. Hopefully he could find comfort there.

 

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Loki shivered and pulled his cloak tighter around himself. The sun had not risen yet, and he was sure the rest of the world still slept. He didn’t find Thor when walked up to the Heart tree, but that didn’t matter. Dropping to his knees before the old tree, he set the lantern down next to him and looked at the face carved into the white bark. Such an eerie thing to look at in the dark but he had other things to worry about.

Bowing his head, the young lord closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I come seeking guidance.” He paused for a moment and then another before continuing. “I will be leaving this place to go North with the king. And I am ready to go, but an awful dream has brought me here. I-I want to know what it means...”

He paused again and opened his eyes before looking back up at the face. Loki heard small noises all around him, but he paid them no mind. “Is this a warning? Will something bad happen if I go? Should I tell the king I have changed my mind and stay in Jotunheim, what does this mean?”

The young lord waited a long for an answer or a sign that the Gods heard him, but nothing happened. Sighing, Loki grabbed his lantern and slowly stood up. He bowed his head again and said “Forgive me. I am merely speaking nonsense.” And finished his prayer before heading back inside.

 

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While Loki saddled his horse, his mother called his name. Turning, the young lord saw her approaching with Helblindi and Byleistr, and Loki noticed she looked worried. But as soon as she was by his side, she smiled and looked over at her older sons. “Your brothers came to say goodbye. They and Maester Grundroth will look after things while we are away.”

Loki nodded and turned to his brothers. He saw that Helblindi was still sour about what happened in the courtyard, but the younger man smiled. “Don’t worry, Helblindi. The next time you see me, I may just let you kick my ass.” He clapped the older man on the shoulder and Helblindi offered him a small smile before nodding.

Byleistr surprised him by pulling him into a hug and patted his back. “Be careful out there, Little brother. You might be in trouble if the men mistake you for a pretty highborn lady.”

Loki rolled his eyes but smiled and said “Thank you for that, Byleistr.” Before hugging them back. The older man pulled back and Loki watched as they hugged and kissed their mother before walking off.

Farbauti looked around Before turning to her youngest son. Leaning in, she lowered her voice and said “Maester Grundroth told me that you wandering around earlier this morning. What troubles you, my boy?”

Loki smiled and said “I couldn’t sleep so I went out into the Godswood to think.” And he saw that it didn’t help.

Farbauti gasped and said “Why would you go out there at such a time? You know how cold it is before the sun comes up, you could have gotten sick-“

The young lord put his hands her shoulders, and she stopped talking. He smiled and said “I know, Mother. I wasn’t out there for too long, and I am fine.”

He felt her relax some in his hold and she asked “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

 

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Everyone within the castle’s walls lined up around the gate to see them off. The young lord looked around at all the familiar faces, finding his brothers standing by Hailstrum and Maester Grundroth. Loki waved at them before his eyes landed on the castle.

Even in the North, he could still know it inside and out. After be saddled his horse and calmed his mother down, Loki walked up to a random spot and laid his palms on the cold stones. The cold of them brought him comfort, and he closed his eyes. He hoped he would feel them again someday. The young lord had committed the feeling of them to memory long ago, and it will always be a part of him.

The young lord scanned every inch of his home for the last time. Everything from the dead vines and crumbled towers, to the gargoyles posted at every corner, silently guarding the living and the dead who inhabit it. A single tear rolled down Loki’s cheek but he didn’t wipe it away.

The king’s men were in the same formation they were the day they came, but Loki and Laufey were behind Thor and his horse, while Farbauti and Sif sat in a carriage. Everyone waved but no one made a sound as they watched them go.

 

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Loki could hear the sounds clip-clopping of hooves, just as he did in his dream, but he distracted himself by looking around. Even with the eternal cold, Jotunheim was truly a beautiful place. They passed through leafless trees that stretched high above them, majestic snow-covered mountains in the distance on either side. There were some clouds in the sky but Loki knew it wouldn’t rain or snow today.

The journey will take them at least a fortnights journey to get there, especially if they make several stops along the way. They’ll have to pass through Midgard before they get there. He had never been there before.

 

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After hours of riding, they were finally out of Jotunheim. They stopped for a while to eat and Loki took his cloak off. He folded the fur and packed it with his other clothes before petting his stallion Sleipnir. The stallion turned his head towards the young lord and exhaled and Loki smiled. He leaned in and whispered “If they have pears, I will bring you one.” And Sleipnir rubbed his muzzle against Loki’s palm.

The young lord smiled and left him in the care of a bannerman before following the others. They set up a table for Thor and his guests while the others sat elsewhere to eat. They sat in an open field where the grass reached their ankles and flowers were in bloom all around them.

It was quiet for a time until Thor said “I have to warn you that Asgard can get pretty warm. I wouldn’t want you all to melt.”

Farbauti smiled and said “Thank you, Your Grace, but I’m sure we can handle it. It can’t be worse than Muspelheim.”

Thor threw his head back and laughed, good still in his mouth before swallowing. The older man said “Yes, it is far better than Muspelheim, My Lady. We went to Muspelheim once after I turned fourteen. It’s so hot there, I don’t know how they can live like that. And please forgive my manners, but I spent almost every minute in my chambers completely naked, because it was just too much.”

Loki had taken a drink of water when the older man said that and he just about spit it out. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he quickly swallowed and started coughing, everyone’s eyes on him. When his coughing finally ceased, Thor asked “Loki, are you alright?”

The younger man knew everyone could see how bad he was blushing, and he nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. Forgive me.” and the king smiled.

“I was sleeping one morning, lying on top of my sheets, and this older woman walked in. I didn’t hear her come in and I woke up when she started screaming. When I looked at her, she was covering her eyes and still screaming while I covered myself.”

They laughed, and the king shook his head. “I felt so bad for scarring that poor woman, I gave her a few gold coins and begged her forgiveness.” Loki can see it in his head now. A naked prince scrambling to cover him while an old woman covered her eyes, screaming at the top of her lungs. He giggled this time, thankful he wasn’t drinking anything that time.

 

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As promised, he brought back a nice juicy pear and laughed when the Sleipnir snatched the whole thing from his hand as soon as he saw it. He shook his head and petted the stallion, keeping an eye on him while he ate it.

After everyone finished eating, they decided to set up camp for the night. The young lord isn’t sure where the nearest inn could be, but hopefully they will stay at one the next time. He’s been camping before as a child, but sleeping while surrounded by all these strangers made him uneasy.

While walking back from relieving himself, Loki he got this strange feeling. Without stopping, he looked around and saw no one around. Everyone was either in tents or elsewhere, but it felt like someone was following him. He quickened his pace until he reached his tent, relieved that he’s sharing one with Sif.

 

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_It was like this dream started where the other left off. Loki stood at the edge, stepped off of it, and was falling. And as soon as the young lord landed in the sea, he couldn’t move. The salt burned his eyes and nose as he struggled to hold his breath. And no matter how hard he fought to move, he just kept sinking further and further down, like a stone._

_After some time he reached the bottom, still alive and closed his eyes. Just as he accepted his fate, he started hearing voices. He couldn’t make out any of them, they kept whispering on top of each other, growing louder and louder until he was finally able to move his arms and cover his ears. Loki opened his eyes and started moving his arms, but he wasn’t able to move anything else._

_Once he couldn’t hold his breath anymore, he thought he was done for. Loki felt the water rushing into his lungs and almost all the voices stopped except for one._

_Loki._

_The young lords’ eyes started closing again and just before everything went black, a hand reached out for him._

 

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Loki opened his eyes and groaned. Rolling onto his back, he rubbed his face with one hand and squirmed on his cot. He looked over and saw Sif sleeping soundly and by the looks of it, it was still dark outside.

He knows he won’t be able to go back to sleep, so he got dressed and went outside. He stretched his arms high above his head and looked around, the camp dead quiet save for the chirping of insects.

Loki walked through the sea of red and gold tents until he saw a light up ahead. When he got closer, he saw a man sitting slumped in front of a fire. He thought about turning and walking back to the tent, fearing it could be the person that may have been following earlier. But for some reason his feet brought him closer to him.

Thor looked up and saw Loki standing on his right side. The older man smiled and said “You should be sleeping.”

Loki said “I could say the same about you, Your Grace.”

The king looked back at the fire and said “You can call me Thor, you know.” Before looking back at him. He smiled and said “After all, you will be family soon. And to me, family needs no formalities.”

Loki nodded and said “Alright then. I could say the same about you, _Thor_.” And the older man nodded.

“That’s much better. Come, sit.” He patted the ground beside him and Loki obeyed. His knee touched the kings, and he moved away an inch.

Thor glanced at the younger man before looking out into the night. “We’ve seen each other a lot lately.”

Loki nodded and said “I’ve noticed.”

”If one of us is alone, fate leads the other to him. What do you think it means?”

The young lord studied the king for a moment before shaking his head. “I have no idea.”

They sat and stared at the fire together, a peaceful silence between them. The wood crackled every so often, wolves howled in the distance, and Loki looked over at the older man.

It was odd seeing him without his winter clothes, but since they are no longer in Jotunheim, Loki will have to get used to it. It’s also the first time Loki has ever seen him with his hair completely down. Dressed in simple black breeches, black boots, and a blue shirt, he could pass for a normal man for those who don’t know of him.

Realizing that he was staring at the king, Loki blinked and asked “What’s keeping you awake?” Thor looked over at him and the young lord said “You look tired. You also looked tired back in Jotunheim. What troubles you?”

The older man said “My mother died last year from sickness last year. Father never remarried after he lost her. Then a few weeks ago, he dies in sleep. He lived a long life and I am happy that he went in peace. Then I am crowned king and a lovely highborn lady will be my queen...So much is happening, it’s caused me to lose sleep.”

“I’m sure things will calm down in no time.”

The king chuckled and said “Calm doesn’t exist when you are a king.” He looked over at the young lord and smiled. “But thank you.”

Loki nodded and looked down at his hands before the older man asked “And what about you? What troubles my soon-to-be brother-in-law?”

The young lord looked up and swallowed. “I’ve had these dreams. One the day we left, the other before I came out here...I haven’t the slightest idea of what they could mean, and I tried to seek guidance in the Godswood, but...I don’t know.”

Loki notices that Thor is facing him properly, concern spreading over his handsome face. “What were they about?”

Fixing his eyes on the fire, Loki hesitated before saying “In the first one, we started out traveling on the Kingsroad. Suddenly I’m alone, watching the sunset while standing at the edge of a cliff by the sea. I was crying and I stepped off the edge, and I woke up.”

He spared a glance over at Thor before continuing. “At first I thought it was a sign I shouldn’t go to Asgard with you, but it was only a dream, nothing to worry about. Then before I came out here, I dreamt that I stepped off of the cliff and fell into the sea. Instead of dying or waking up before I hit the water, I sank.

I sank all the way to the bottom, still alive, but couldn’t move a muscle. Thinking I was going to die, I closed my eyes and started hearing voices. There were so many of them, it became unbearable. Then all the voices stopped except one. The voice called to me and the last thing I saw before I woke up was a hand reaching out for me.”

Thor stared at him for a moment before wiping his hands on his breeches. “Dreams are strange, aren’t they? When I was a child I had a dream that my father gave me a horse. It was a beautiful one, a pure white filly, absolutely perfect...But when I went to the stables one day to feed her, she bit my hands off.”

Loki looked up at him, eyebrow raised, and the king chuckled. “I had that dream every night for a month, I was scared to go anywhere near the stables. Do you think your dreams could mean something?”

The young lord shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve had bad dreams, but never dreams like that before.”

Thor nodded and said “I remember my father telling me about old Jotunheim. He said the Jotunns of old dabbled in sorcery, and almost everyone had different powers.”

”They say the same about Alfheim.”

”Yes, yes they do. Do you think some of that magic could be inside of you? Do you think you could have the powers of a Seer?”

The younger man shook his head and said “I doubt it. That was long ago, Jotunheim has changed so much since then...And if I have such magic flowing through my veins, I wouldn’t want to be a Seer. Seeing the destinies of others, it would be too overwhelming. Have you ever gone to a Seer?”

Thor shook his head. “No. I’ve thought about it, but I’m afraid of finding out what’s to become of me. You?”

“No, I haven’t. But I knew of one in Jotunheim, but I never went to her. I hear she’s never wrong.”

The king smiled and Loki stood up. Loki sighed and said “I should get back. Try to get some sleep, Your Grace. You will need it. Goodnight.”

When Loki reached their tent, Sif was still asleep, her back now turned to him. The young lord sat on the edge of the cot and while he pulled his boots off, praying he could have a better dream tonight. Or maybe no dreams at all.

 

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Loki said goodnight to him and Thor could manage a soft “Goodnight” before the young lord left. The king watched as he walked away before turning to stare back at the fire.

He listened to Loki talk about his dreams and Thor told him about one of his, but he didn’t tell him about the ones he’s had since arriving at Jotunheim, how could he?

Ever since the first dream, he can’t take his mind off of it. He wonders what will happen the next time he closes his eyes, and if he’ll wake up feeling wrong and disgusted with himself. It won’t be long until they reach Midgard, and if he can get some time alone, he will seek out the help of a Seer. It’s a shame they didn’t take the one Loki told him about before they left.

Thor stayed by the fire, staring into the flames for a while longer before taking his soon-to-be brother-in-law’s advice. Standing up, the king pulled bent to grab his canteen and opened it. Bringing it up to his lips, he took a few sips of water before pouring the rest onto the fire. When the flames died, he walked back to his tent and hoped that his dreams could be replaced by the filly who kept eating his hands.


End file.
